Incubator



' Aug 31, 1926. l l 1,598,585

Hy. E. ALMENDINGER l INGUBATOR Filed August 10, 1923 2 Sheets-'Sheet l11:1 5- V3 ,if ,5

Elf E f2 al 7 Z' B sa 5l y INVEXT CIN Aug. 31, 925.

H. E. ALMENDINGER INCUBATORL l Filed August 10, 1923 2:4 M ,5

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 kME/wdw/ Patented Aug. 31, A 1926.'

UNITED STATES HARRY E. .ALMENDINGER, OF ROCKY RIDGE, OHIO.

INCUBATOR.

Application rfiled August 10, 1923. Serial No. 656,642.

This invention relates to multiple chamber'and multiple tray incubators.

, rlfhis invention has utility when incorpoil'at'ed asa sectionalstructure, especially for custom hatching ot-poultry eggs. y Referringto the drawings Fg. 1 is a view. in elevation` from the incubation sideof an incubator embodying the invention; partsjb'eing broken away;

yFig.,2 is a view in elevation from the hatchingside ofthe incubator ofFig. 1; partsbei-ng broken away;

F ig.'` 3 is a section on the line III-111, Fig. 1;

F ig. 4 is a away;

Fig. 5 is a perspective. view of a tray rack,

plan view, parts being broken and Fig. 6 is a detail of a modiiied form.

As herein disclosed the incubator housing comprises end sections 1, 2,incubator side sections 3, 'hatching side sections 4, and top sections5. By increasing thenumber of'sections 3, 4, 5, the extent of theincubator between the ends 1, 2, may be as desired. These sections ofthe incubator. housing are built up as effective non-conductors of heat.The incubation side section 3 is provided with doors 6, 7 while thehatching side 4 is provided vwith an upper door 8.

J ust inside the doorway of the section 3 crossbars 9`are fixed, havinginwardly extending studs or heads 10 as pivot bearings, opposing similariixed pivot bearings 1l carried by vertical partition 12 extendingupward short of the top 5 to leave opening 13 thereover betweenincubating chamber 14 and hatching chamber 15. Below the incubatingchamber 14 is baiie 16 for dividing the air current as entering theincubating chamber by way of opening 17 below the partition 12 or louver12. This louver or open section allows warm air to rise from the heatingchamber below the fan 20 to pass into the incubating chamber, while warmair as rising in the incubating chamber may pass upward through thelouver 12 intoV the hatching chamber above the tan for recirculationdown into the heating chamber for redelivery to 'the incubatingchamber...The hatching chamber 15 as herein shown 1s not of as greatvertical height as the incubating chamber 14. The lower portion ot thehatching chamber 15 extends to partition 18 having central opening 19therein for electric fan 2O operable to accelerate air circulationdownward in heating chamber 21 below the hatching chamber 15.

Adjacent the end 1 is disposed oil heater 22 having heating line 23 as ariser passing into the incubator to heating pipe sections 24 connectedby` return bends 25, 26, and back by-line 27 to the heater 22. Inextending the heater to accommodate additional incubator sections,return bends 25 are shifted along and the space thus provided is lilledin with couplings 28, and unions 29, included with 'additional sections24, allcarried by brackets 30 from, 'the partition 12 and disiposed inthe heating chamber 21 inner side .elow the fan 20'.` Controllableopening 31 near the ioor end of the hatching' side wall or section 4permits inflow of fresh air by way lof duct 32 rising to have itsdischarge end 33 Vjust back of the fany20. Above the chamber 14 of eachsectionk is foul air escape opening 34 in the top sections 5. Carried bythe top section 5 and mounted in the upper portion of the chamber 14 isthermostat l35 (Fig. 1) electiveto operate lever 36 over the top 5,which lever 36 has link 37 downwardly` extending to draft controllingdisk 38 at the heater 22, thereby ,insuring automatic temperaturecontrol for the incubator.

Removable independent tray racks are provided. Preferably out of amedium` light gage of galvanized iron, side strips having bottom anges39 and upstanding side flanges 40 are anchored in opposing relation bymiddle dat brace 41riveted to the flanges 39, and terminal strips havingbottom flanges 42 are riveted to the ends of the lianges 39. lFrom theflanges 42 depend stiltening 'flanges 43 centrally having bearing pivotreceiving openings 44, for receiving the heads 10, 11, and thereoversmaller portions 45 holding the heads against displacement. Thecrossbars 9,43, may be sprung sufficiently to eilect this rockableassembly of' the trayracks. The side flanges 40 at the inner end carriedby the bearings 11, have langes 46 extending inwardly but slightly tolimit sliding movement of trays 47 into thc racks. The trays 47 aredrawer like as to surrounding side walls and have openwork or meshbottoms. These trays 47 aremounted inv columns inthe chamber 14 and incolumns in the chamber 15. The column height in the chamber 14 carries amultiple in its number of trays as to the number of trays in thevertical Column in the chamber 14. This umn 15, and twelve in the column14, so that with four trays set at a time in the column 14, such'may beshifted over simultaneously to the column 15. The middle brace 41 asextending below the flan es 39, terminates in twisted ears 48, whic inthe vertical series -on each side of the column of tray racks, areconnected, as by chains 49. An

pushing of one side of a rack downwar will,rthrough the chain from its oposite side pull the opposite side'of racks t erebelow upward, while onthe same side will pull racks thereover downward. This means that theentire series of racks of a sin le column may be rocked simultaneously.T is rocking of the racks serves to shift the position of eggs in thetrays as to the gravity action thereon, so that the heavier yolk orchick forming portion may float differently as tothe shell and not tendto settle into adhering relation with a shell side. With'100 eggs Aper,tray and 12 trays toa column, there is thus readily effected` a shiftingof 1200 eggs simultaneously. As herein disclosed, two columns ofincubating trays are provided for each section. For settings of every 3%days with chicken eggs having an incubation period of 21 days, fourtrays of eggs per section may be set at' one time, thus giving a `3% dayperiod for hatching by providing guides at the doors 8 in the hatchingchamber 15 of capacity for four trays. y

In the more advanced periods of incubation less heat is required formaintaining continued growth of the chick in the egg. The period closeto hatching is one during which there is actuallya giving oit of heat bvthe egg, and for live healthy chicks, suc heat from the advanced stagesof incubation should not build up. While the heat of hatching eggs mayrun close to 105 F., it is desirable `to kee the temperature at least 2or 3 lower, an with maintained circulation no ill effects may ensue tothe hatching chicks. Regulation of the fresh air intake determines therate of spill at the foul airescape, and also determines the rate` ofexchange or maintenance of recirculation. The extent to whichrecirculation may be kept up, is a factor in heat economy in theincubator operation. The egg shell is porous and the carrying on of lifeprocessesI in the egg results in a demand for oxygen and a giving off ofcarbon dioxide. The fresh air supply is maintained normally foretilcient life supporting conditions in the 'm- .and downward in thehatchin cubator, but may be operated as a. factor in assistin thetemperature control, preferably on y downward.`

The 'disclosure is iexible for different capacities of operation andinstallation. The circulating fan 20 need be used only in such sectionsas, are charged with eggs. The air flow is upward. Ain the incubatingchamber, chamber. The onlyy shifting of the trays 1 s from incubation tohatchin The rocking of ti be effected Without openin the incubator, andall atone time. To t is end from a lower one of the ears 48 of each sideof ia lower tray rack, actuating means, here shown as chain 51, extendsupward about pulley 52, fast with the top 5, thence through theincubator side 3 to horizontal shaft section 53, carried in bearings 54on the outer side .of the incubator section 3. Couplings 55 betwen theshaft sections permit the operation of crank 56 to effect tilting orrocking of the entire series of columns of incubating trays.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Anincubator section embodying two columns -of incubating trays, a chambertherefor open from one side of the section, a hatching chamber open fromthe other side of the section, superposed trays in the hatching chamber,therebelow a heating chamber,

e incubating trays may' and a fan between the hatching and heatingchambers.

2. An incubator Y embodying columns of fixed pivot bearings in airs anda tray rack mounted in each pair o pivot bearings leaving clearwayforthe width of the rack over one of said bearings, said racks eachbeing provided with detachable connecting means to a pair of saidbearings permitting rack removal axially through said clearway over oneof said beai'ings independently of the rack above or below.

3. An incubator embodying a pluralit of columns of tray racks, meansindepen ently mounting the tray racks each on fixed pivots againstswinging, fixed guide rollers centrally, of the trayracks and flexiblecontrol means exterior of the incubator extending over said rollers tothe rack columns for effecting simultaneous rocking of the racks of aplurality of columns, and trays insertable over the fixed end pivot toposition on said rack.

In witness whereof I atlix my signature.'

HARRY E.Y ALMENDINER.

